CWB Fixed Price Contracts

[brian99]

Absolutely. Enviromentalism is big business nowadays. Organizations like Greenpeace would collapse without more memberships, and that means exposure. Get on TV. David Suzuki has his own foundation and web site(I must admit I dont know how it's funded), and sells books besides being a broadcaster.

[jtietjen]

I am still waiting for some qualified arguments regarding 'the flip side of the coin'. Maybe as another good example regarding the dangers of GMOs, I should mention the Teminator Gene, and what about liability, and ownership of genetic code. Just runing hate campaigns against environmental groups just doesn't cut it.

[cakadu]

In no one's defence, I think the campaign against the terminator gene may have been a bit premature. Hybrid seed varieties have been available for years, ie corn, and they have to be purchased and planted every year - so why is there no huge hue and cry about that? As far as there being cross pollination, the fact that the terminator seeds couldn't reproduce would have been of benefit here, I think. The GMO issue has many facets to it and they are getting more and more intertwined and the areas are becoming more and more grey. What is critical is that serious, logical dialogue take place, not fearmongering and unsubstantiated claims for and/or against the technology.

[zylstra]

I agree with most of what you say. GMOs could be could and/or bad. But I don't understand how multinationals getting this technology can dictate the price of food anymore than they do today. Hybrid seeds have been required for years, meaning new seed must be purchased every year - is this bad? For GMO crops there are non GMO alternatives, and even competing GMO crops from other companies; am I missing some mysterious economic competitive factor?

[brian99]

In response to Johann's 'flip side of the coin' question, I think you already have it figured out. Multinationals will run the world if allowed to control food production. Bill Gates is proof positive. GMOs are also the next step in increasing food production as our population increases. Every plant geneticist Ive talked to says we have levelled off in yield. There are no more major yield increases through conventional breeding. So where to from here? GMOs could provide plants that will grow in 3rd world counties, and be sponsored by governments. GMOs could be made to fix extra carbon, for carbon credits, or nitrous oxides to reduce pollution, or produce ozone to replentish the ozone layer. GMOs could manufacture plastics, or insulin, or antibiotics far more cheaplythan today and at little enviromental risk. The possibilities are endless. There therefore needs to be intense scrutiny of the process and all the players. I dont hate enviromentalists and I dont tell lies about them. Im just a simple farmer tired of defending myself and my industry from false fear and half truths. Enviromental groups do good work and that should continue. Public opinion has, however, given some groups enough clout so as to allow them to say anything they want and people think it's gospel. Thats not right.

[nakodo]

Well said, any suggestions about what we can do to help remedy the misinformation, maybe things like visit a school, talk to the teachers and get some space in the classroom time to tell a more even handed story , any other ideas?

[BreadWinner]

Some pretty cool discussions 19 years ago.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Yes, thanks for reposting.

And even more amazing, people use to discuss commodity marketing on the commodity marketing forum.

[blackpowder]

Interesting how far it's come.

[malleefarmer]

They still post or lurk or still farm?